Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions (as defined by CASEL).
The Office of Social and Emotional Learning (OSEL) realizes that students learn best when they feel safe and supported in school, both physically and emotionally. OSEL supports school-based staff in using the most effective strategies to foster a safe learning climate and maximize student engagement and achievement. OSEL is committed to supporting students in developing skills that will help them with school as well as in life.
These skills include:
- Identifying strengths, interests, and areas of growth
- Understanding and managing emotions
- Understanding and being able to relate to others,
- Problem solving and making responsible decisions
These skills are needed to help students persist with a range of situations—from figuring out a tough math problem or collaborating on a group project to setting goals for college and career. OSEL is committed to supporting schools to create safe, supportive environments that infuse SEL into every part of our students’ educational experience in order to promote positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes for all students.